A map of North America with state boundaries and temperature gradient coloring overlay. The temperature gradient ranges from white at 10 degrees centigrade and increasingly darker shades of red up to 40 degrees centigrade, which is the darkest shade of the range. The region around the great lakes and the altitude peaks appear a somewhat lighter shade of orange, but the vast majority of the map is in a solid red shade, with the West coast having much territory indistinguishable from black and the East coast also being a darker shade of red than more inland territory.

Extreme Heat Hammers U.S. Coasts

As summer heat hit the western and eastern U.S. in July 2024, temperatures have been especially high in the Southwest. View the full story

Credits: NASA Earth Observatory / Wanmei Liang